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In advance of course selection in January, ETHS Parents Engaged is hosting a meeting on course planning for the parents of current freshmen, sophomores and juniors.Students will begin meeting with their counselors after Winter Break to begin course selection for the 2015-2016 school year. This is an opportunity for parents to ask questions before those meetings.There will be a representative from each department and members of the
counseling staff available to answer both general and specific questions.It will begin with a Q&A panel, where parents may ask general questions about courses, followed by an opportunity for parents to talk to staff in small groups about their students’ options.

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Spend a day as a Wildkit with your student during Parent Shadow Day! It’s the best way to experience all the wonderful things that Evanston Township High School has to offer!

On Monday, October 27, Evanston Township High School will host its annual Parent Shadow Day. Parent Shadow Day is open to all ETHS parents, guardians, and other adults (grandparents, godparents, aunts, uncles, adult siblings, 25 years and older) who are significant in the lives of ETHS students. Adults are invited to follow their student’s class schedule —for all or part of the day—and see what it’s like to be an ETHS student. This event is our school’s open house and is a wonderful opportunity for adults to see the school through the eyes of their students. Registration is required for this free event. Parents/guardians/relatives are asked to RSVP for Parent Shadow Day to gauge capacity in classrooms and cafeterias. If you have more than one student at ETHS, you can choose to shadow each child for part of the day.

Details for registered Parent Shadow Day guests: (Pre-registration is required for this event)

Parents/guardians/adult guests who are shadowing all day or in the morning should plan to arrive with their students between 7:30-8:00am to find parking and to check in for the day. Join us in the “VIP (Very Important Parent) Suite” in room E112 beginning at 7:30am for complimentary coffee, tea, juice and morning snacks with Administrators!First period begins at 8:32am.

Parents/guardians/adult guests who are shadowing in the afternoon should plan to arrive before their student’s lunch period to find parking and check in. We recommend that you and your student agree on a place to meet (i.e., cafeteria or a specific classroom) ahead of time. Come to E112 if you need assistance locating your student’s classroom or to receive a print out of your student’s schedule.

The Monday bell schedule is available here.The Monday bell schedule operates on 36-minute periods, with the school day ending at 2:36pm. When you arrive at Parent Shadow Day, you can request a print out of your student’s class schedule in room E112. NOTE: You must follow your student’s current class schedule. Drop-in visits to other classes are not permitted.

Parking is available in the lots at the front and rear of the school as well as on the school side of Dodge Avenue during Parent Shadow Day. (The City of Evanston has waived parking restrictions on Dodge Avenue for Parent Shadow Day only.)

When you arrive, enter through Door #31 (rear of school) or Door #1 (front of school) to sign in at the registration tables and to pick up your VIP Shadow Day pass and school map.

The building is wheelchair accessible and elevator service is available for adults who require the assistance.

Wear comfortable clothes and shoes. ETHS is a large building with multiple flights of stairs – be prepared to walk quickly every 36 minutes.

The “VIP Suite” in E112 will be open to parent/guardians all day. Stop in to network with Department Chairs and Administrators during Periods 1, 2, and 3, or come by during student lunch periods to talk with school leaders about topics such as communications, safety, and the transition process. Also, drop in at any time throughout the day to enjoy complimentary refreshments, to pick up important materials, or when you just need a break from shadowing.

Bring cash to pay for lunch. Parents/guardians are invited to eat in the student cafeterias, the Terrace Dining Room, or enjoy light refreshments in the “VIP Suite” in room E112.

Spirit Wear will be on sale! The Boosters will be selling ETHS Spirit Wear in the Main Lobby during shadow day. The Boosters accept cash or credit/debit card only.

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Join us on Wednesday, September 17th to hear from key administrators and veteran parents.

Help your student make successful academic and extracurricular choices

Learn about school safety and discipline

Find out who to talk to if your student has a problem

Begin post-secondary planning (it’s never too soon!)

Meet administrators individually

Learn from the experiences of other parents

This town hall-like meeting will begin with brief presentations followed by a question and answer session. The evening will conclude with an informal period during which parents and guardians can speak to the panelists individually. All parents and guardians of ETHS students are invited to this free event. No sign-up is required.

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The next planning meeting for ETHS Parents Engaged will be next Wednesday, August 20th at 6:30 pm at 27 Live (27Live is located at 1012 Church Street.). The D65 PTA Council kickoff meeting will be right afterwards at 7:30.

We are looking forward to growing this new organization and need lots of help so thank you for your interest and enthusiasm!

Liaison to the administration: Because ParentsEngaged is run by a steering committee it is important to provide a “single point of contact” for the administration for things like publicity, room reservations, etc.

Volunteer Coordinator: for PR during school events

Please reply and let us know if you can attend next Wednesday. Of course if you cannot make it we will keep you in the loop, just let us know any ideas you have and where you would like to help.

Also, please forward to others you think would be interested.

Parents Engaged Steering Committee,

Elliot Frolichstein-Appel (efrolappel[at]yahoo.com)

Kristin James (jamesfamily60202[at]gmail.com)

Archana Lal-Tabak (laltabak[at]mac.com)

Jim Lal-Tabak (jimlaltabak[at]comcast.net)

Jane McCarthy (jmccar45[at]comcast.net)

Becky Zwolinski (bzwolinski[at]sbcglobal.net)

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Parents/guardians of eighth graders and transfer students are invited to attend the annual “Parent-to-Parent” program, sponsored by ETHS Parents Engaged, which will be held on Wednesday, May 7, from 7:00 – 8:30 pm in Room S-214 at Evanston Township High School.

Parents of next fall’s ETHS freshmen are invited to hear from and speak to parents of current students about high school life, anything from course options, to sports, to the Homecoming Dance. Experienced parents will be on hand to answer questions, including how to effectively use resources at ETHS and how best to navigate the high school years.

If you are a parent of an older ETHS student, please join us,any ETHS parent is welcome to join in the conversation.

Also, while this program is geared toward parents and guardians students new to the high school, all ETHS parents and guardians are invited to attend this free event – please feel free to come and just listen. No reservations are necessary and refreshments will be served.

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This year our parent group made a major transition, changing from a dues-paying organization affiliated with the National PTA, to a free, all-inclusive organization with a focus on helping all parents be engaged in their student’s education: ETHS Parents Engaged.

A small, committed group of parents has kept this group running because we believe that parents helping other parents, and being the voice of the ETHS parent-body is important.

If this group is going to continue, more parents need to participate in planning events, maintaining services (the listserve and website), and acting as liaisons with the school administration.

Please join us on Weds. April 2 at 7:00 pm in ETHS Room S-214 for our next planning meeting. Some items under discussion will be:

Management of listserve

Management of website

Planning/management of 3 school-wide programs/meetings per year

Outreach to new families

Outreach to other schools

Person to post communications on listserve (and Facebook ETHSParents)

Person(s) to be main contact with administration

Tentative programs planned for 2014-2015:

Fall (late Sept) – Navigating ETHS Resources for Families

Winter (Dec) – Course Selection discussion

Spring (May) – Parent-to-Parent (this year scheduled for May 7, 2014)

FYI – We also would like any “veteran” parents (if you’re a parent of a current ETHS student, you count!) to join us on May 7th for our annual “Parent-to-Parent” meeting to help answer questions from incoming freshman parents.

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Evanston Township High Schooland the Family Action Network (FAN)invite you to attend “Radiance of Tomorrow: An Evening with Ishmael Beah” at 7:00 PM on Tuesday, March 18, 2014 in the ETHS Auditorium.

Ishmael Beah’s book, A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier tells the story of his life in Sierra Leone as a child soldier. He relates how, at the age of 12, he fled from attacking rebels, describing how his homeland became unrecognizable through violence. By 13, he had been picked up the government army and under its coercive tactics, including the use of drugs, he found himself capable of committing terrible acts. At 15, Beah was taken to a UNICEF rehabilitation center for child soldiers in Freetown, and when he was 16, the civil war hit Freetown. He fled as a refugee to Guinea and eventually to the United States, where an American family adopted him. Beah is a 2004 graduate of Oberlin College with a degree in political science.

For this first-ever Family Action Network event at Evanston Township High School, Beah will discuss his life and his new book, Radiance of Tomorrow. In his first novel, Beah examines postwar life in Sierra Leone through the eyes of two friends who return to their village and try to repair what the civil war has destroyed. The author hopes readers will learn something about the strength of human spirit by reading this book. “We all find joy and radiance and a reason to move on even in the most dire of circumstances. Even in chaos and madness, there’s still a beauty that comes from just the vibrancy of another human spirit.” His memoir is used in many high school curricula. In a broader sense, his work can be used to facilitate discussion on how control over one’s circumstances affects the human spirit, consequences of violence, finding one’s purpose in life, family relationships and environment.

This event is free and open to the public. A book signing will be held following the event. CPDUs are available for education professionals. Visit www.familyactionnetwork.net for more information.

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The Family Action Network (FAN) has been bringing nationally recognized leaders in education and social emotional learning to New Trier Township and is now expanding to Evanston! D202 and D65 recently became annual sponsors and FAN has already schedule two speakers for Evanston this school year. Their goal is to connect, educate and inspire parents, educators and professionals.

We have invited Lonnie Stonitsch, Program Chair for FAN, to attend the ETHS Parents Engaged meeting, Tuesday, March 4th, 7:00pm, ETHS room W124, to share her passion for FAN and vision for the Evanston community. She is eager to learn more about the Evanston schools, the Evanston community, and what parents, teachers and administrators want for future programming. Bring your ideas.

The FAN presentations can help create community and provide a shared language to connect schools and parents. Last year, there were over 9,000 attendees at FAN presentations at New Trier. We want to fill the ETHS auditorium! Please join us on March 4th to learn more!

Ishmael BeahAuthor, A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier and the upcoming Radiance of Tomorrow: A Novel (January 7, 2014 release)March 18, 2014, 7:00 PMEvanston Township High School Auditorium

Carol Dweck, Ph.D.Lewis and Virginia Eaton Professor of Psychology, Stanford University
Author, Mindset: The New Psychology of SuccessMay 9, 2014, 4:30 and 7:00 PMEvanston Township High School Auditorium

Just take a sneak peak at some of the great programming already occurring in New Trier Township! Next up…

Sian Beilock, Ph.D.Professor, Department of Psychology, University of Chicago
Author, Choke: What the Secrets of the Brain Reveal About Getting It Right When You Have ToFebruary 18, 2014, 7:00 PMNew Trier High School/Northfield Campus/Cornog Auditorium
7 Happ Rd., Northfield, IL 60093